Such a device, including a gas bag having a front wall facing an interior of the vehicle, and a tether strap arranged inside the gas bag, which is fastened to the front wall of the gas bag by a first fastening section of the tether strap, is known from US 2003/0057691. The gas bag of this device is provided with a multipart tether strap. The tether strap is composed of a rectangular fastening section mounted on the front wall of the gas bag and of two connecting sections extending from the vertical sides of the fastening section, which are connected to an end section fastened to the inflation opening of the gas bag. The shape of the gas bag and of the tether strap are coordinated with each other such that the gas bag unfolds substantially firstly upwards, then downwards, and lastly towards the occupant. This unfolding behaviour is advantageous for an occupant who is situated very close to the instrument panel of the vehicle.
However, in occupant protection devices with a gas bag on the passenger side, the problem fundamentally exists that different gas bag unfolding behaviours are desired not only depending on the position of an occupant on the passenger seat, but also depending on the type of occupancy of the passenger seat. In the case of a child's seat mounted on the passenger seat, it has been usual practice to disconnect the protection device entirely, in so far as a sensor arrangement to detect a child's seat is provided in the vehicle. However, legal stipulations already exist, which relate to the case of an activation of an airbag when the passenger seat is occupied by a rearward-facing child's seat.
It is an object of the invention to provide an occupant protection device on the passenger side of a vehicle, having a flexible unfolding behaviour and with which the above-mentioned legal stipulations can be adhered to.